• Source:JND
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At a time when relations between India and Bangladesh are witnessing a visible chill, Pakistan has stepped forward with a major proposal to Dhaka, access to the Karachi Port for trade and export operations. The offer, made during the 9th Pakistan-Bangladesh Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting held in Dhaka on Monday. This may signal a new era in the evolving South Asian geopolitical dynamics.

As reported by Pakistan's Samaa TV, the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) may become a major gateway for the regional trade of Bangladesh, linking Dhaka to markets in China, the Middle East, and Central Asia. This comes after India recently imposed restrictions on imports from Bangladesh by land, a step seen as a retaliatory measure after Dhaka placed restrictions on Indian yarn exports earlier this year.

Historic Session After Two Decades

The 9th JEC session, the first in nearly 20 years — was co-chaired by Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and Bangladesh’s Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation in multiple areas including trade, investment, shipping, energy, education, information technology, tourism, and climate change initiatives.

In a joint statement released after the meeting, Islamabad and Dhaka “underscored the importance of expanding collaboration between their national shipping corporations” and reaffirmed the commitment to revive direct air connectivity between the two nations to strengthen business and cultural ties.

The Pakistan Halal Food Authority and the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute also signed a memorandum of cooperation, aimed at enhancing quality assurance and exploring opportunities in the growing global halal market.

What It Means For India

The timing of the port offer carries strong diplomatic significance. Bangladesh was once East Pakistan until its independence in 1971, achieved with India’s military support. The renewed cooperation between Dhaka and Islamabad — both positioned on India’s eastern and western borders — comes at a moment when New Delhi and Dhaka are clearly at odds.

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The meeting also took place a day after Bangladesh’s interim head Muhammad Yunus reportedly presented a controversial gift to a visiting Pakistani general, a map depicting parts of India’s Northeast as within Bangladesh’s territory.

• Strategic Realignment: The overtures by Pakistan towards Bangladesh are perceived as a bid to establish a counterweight to India's regional hegemony.
• Loss of Leverage: India's historic position as Bangladesh's principal trade and transit partner could erode if Dhaka starts using Karachi for exports.
• China Factor: The development would indirectly increase China's footprint in South Asian trade corridors since Karachi is a crucial nexus in Beijing's Belt and Road network.

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• Security Concerns: Greater Dhaka-Islamabad collaboration would pose new security and intelligence threats to India's eastern frontier.
• Reduced Economic Dependence: With Pakistan offering alternative access routes, Bangladesh’s reliance on Indian ports and land routes for trade could decline.
• Diplomatic Pressure: India may face growing difficulty maintaining influence over Dhaka’s interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, which has been critical of New Delhi’s policies.
• Regional Ripples: The move could encourage other South Asian nations to explore strategic and trade diversification away from India’s orbit.

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